Togetherness
by NoBuses
Summary: Faberry one-shot, the club are assigned a Christmas challenge. T for swearing.


**So I have an unbelievably bad case of writer's block for Panther's Claw and I needed something to help me practice my future tense writing, and I had this idea... Enjoy!**

* * *

It's a cold December afternoon, and Quinn Fabray, Head Cheerio and closeted nerd is sprawled across her bed, xbox switched on but left unattended as she lays completely absorbed in a piece of fanfiction open on her laptop. Finishing the story, she glances up at her desk and looks at her Star Wars themed alarm clock, tutting when she realises Rachel will be here in less than 5 minutes.

Getting up to switch off her games console and hide all geeky items, her mind wanders back to the choir room that morning.

* * *

"Settle down guys, Sam, what have I told you, there is a time and place for revealing your abs and right here right now is definitely not it," Mr Schue said as he strode into the room wearing one of his endless supply of festive vests, this one covered in a pattern of brightly coloured baubles. "In the spirit of Christmas, this week's assignment is going to be very simple," he proclaimed, scrawling the word 'friends' across the chalk board in his messy handwriting. "I was thinking you could team up with someone you don't really spend much time with and get to know them while choosing a great song that represents the community feelings around this team of year," he finished, a big smile spreading across his face.

The teens spread across the room, and some strange pairings were created, including Sam and Rory, Artie and Santana, and Kurt and Mike. The only remaining member of the club for Quinn to pair up with was the argyle-clad monstrosity also known as Rachel Berry, diva extraordinaire. Great.

* * *

As she finishes stashing her collectable Lord of the Rings orc figurines out of sight, there is a soft knock at her bedroom door, and she hears her mother's voice informing her there is someone here to see her. She stands up, giving the room a last once-over and tells Judy to let Rachel come upstairs. Shortly after, there is another knock on her door and, with Quinn's permission, the tiny brunette enters the room.

"Hi, Quinn," she says, smiling timidly at the blonde. Quinn's initial reaction is one of shock. Instead of the sickening sweaters and stupid skirts, Rachel is wearing tight fitting black jeans with plain converse, a low cut white t-shirt and a deep red leather bomber jacket. _She looks... hot, _Quinn concludes to herself, and gives the shorter girl a genuine smile before returning the greeting.

"Hey, Rachel. Sit anywhere you want," she says, taking a seat on her bed. She is soon joined by the brunette, who chooses a spot as far away from Quinn as possible, looking very tense.

"So... How are you?"

"I'm... good. Yourself?"

"Yeah, me too"

_Well this is awkward, _both girls think simultaneously. Quinn had spent the entirety of high school making the diva's life a living hell with daily slushie facials, the occasional dumpster toss and, of course, a well developed arsenal of insulting nicknames.

"Do you have any song ideas?" Rachel asks, looking Quinn in the face for the first time since her arrival. Quinn is startled by the striking beauty of the brunette, having never really given her a second glance before, and takes in the deep chocolate brown of her eyes, accentuated by her carefully applied eyeliner and mascara. She takes a while to compose her thoughts, making sure her voice will not waver before she replies.

"I do have a couple, yeah, a few happy ones and a couple of sad ones, in fact I have a list somewhere but I'm not too sure where I've put it, I think it's over here..." She babbles, silently kicking herself as she gets up to check in a drawer. Pulling out a paisley patterned notepad, she walks back towards Rachel who seems to be relaxing slightly.

Sitting down, she opens the notepad, showing Rachel a long list of songs she had put together. Rachel grins, seeing one song in particular, and they begin to practice.

* * *

Entering the choir room a few days later after nightly practices consisting of singing and staring at Rachel, they are ready to perform. After Artie and Santana's endearing rendition of Rolling On The River, it's time for them to perform. Rachel glances quickly at Quinn, who gives her a reassuring smile and steps up to the front, the brunette following close behind.

The guitarist blasts out an instantly recognisable riff, and Quinn begins to sing.

_So no one told you life was gonna be this way  
__Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A_

Rachel smiles at her and takes over,

_It's like you're always stuck in second gear,  
__and it hasn't been your day, your week, your month or even your year, but,_

Both girls grinning and starting their carefully choreographed routine, they sing the chorus together,

_I'll be there for you  
__When the rain starts to pour  
__I'll be there for you  
__Like I've been there before  
__I'll be there for you  
__'Cos you're there for me too_

Dancing along the seats and singing to the other members of the group, their voices match in perfect harmony. Mr Schue grins enthusiastically, noting how good they sound together.

_You're still in bed at ten  
__and work began at eight  
__You've burned your breakfast so far  
__Things are going great  
_

_Your mother warned you there'd be days like these  
__Oh but she didn't tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees that,  
_

_I'll be there for you  
__When the rain starts to pour  
__I'll be there for you  
__Like I've been there before  
__I'll be there for you  
__'Cos you're there for me too_

_No one could ever know me  
No one could ever see me  
Seems you're the only one who knows  
What it's like to be me  
Someone to face the day with  
Make it through all the rest with  
Someone I'll always laugh with  
Even at my worst I'm best with you, yeah_

_It's like you're always stuck in second gear_  
_And it hasn't been your day, your week, your month,_  
_or even your year..._

_I'll be there for you_  
_When the rain starts to pour_  
_I'll be there for you_  
_Like I've been there before_  
_I'll be there for you_  
_'Cos you're there for me too..._

_I'll be there for you_  
_I'll be there for you_  
_I'll be there for you_  
_'Cos you're there for me too..._

The song finishes, and the girls hug each other tightly, enjoying the feel of being wrapped up in the other's arms, and earning a funny look from Mercedes in the process. Both out of breath, they return to their adjacent seats, still smiling all over their faces.

Mr Schue beams and begins to gush over their performance, and Quinn turns and whispers to Rachel, breath tickling the brunette's ear, "Come over tonight?"

Rachel adopts a look of confusion, unsure if the blonde is mocking her or not. "We don't have to practice any more, Quinn, so I don't know why you would want to spend more time than necessary in my company as you have made it quite clear you do not think very highly of me at all," she says, adopting the defensive approach.

"Because, Rach, I-" Quinn begins, but is interrupted by Mr Schue.

"Girls, we've all listened to your song, don't you think you should be quiet and let Rory and Sam do theirs?"

"Sorry Rory, sorry Sam," both girls say meekly, turning a shade of red.

* * *

After Glee Club, walking towards her car, Rachel is confused. _What does Quinn want from me? _She ponders. _On one hand, she has mocked me for my entire high school life. On the other, I'm pretty sure she called me Rach in Glee... But why?_

Her chain of thought is broken by the opening bar of Defying Gravity, her ringtone, and she brings her phone out of her pocket and slides across the screen to answer the unknown number's call.

"Hello?" She questions tentatively, used to receiving less than pleasant calls from blocked numbers.

"Hey, you never answered me in Glee," came the unmistakeable alto of Quinn Fabray.

"I sincerely hope you aren't talking on the phone whilst driving," Rachel scolds.

The cheerleader chuckles, "Of course not, mom."

Rachel smiles. "Why do you want me to come over?"

"You'll find out when you get here, come at six," Quinn states mysteriously, hanging up before the diva can protest.

* * *

Six o clock comes round quickly, and Rachel is stood on the doorstep, knocking apprehensively, expecting some kind of prank. Instead, the door is flung open enthusiastically to reveal a happy-looking Quinn wearing a simple pastel blue dress with a matching headband. _Pretty, _Rachel thinks. Quinn takes a few seconds to look Rachel up and down, taking in her tight fitting blue jeans, mid-calf high boots and zip-up grey hoody before inviting her inside and walking through to the living room, joining Rachel on the sofa when she sits down.

"So, I'm here," Rachel begins.

"You are."

"Why, Quinn?"

The blonde's face becomes a few shades paler as she starts talking.

"Well, we've spent a lot of time together over this last week. I've realised, you're more than a cruel nickname or a rude drawing on a bathroom wall, you're... You're amazing, Rachel Berry. I was caught up in popularity at school, seeing you how I had taught everyone else to look at you, never giving you a chance to shine, to show me who you really are, but now I understand. You've always been the better person, not retaliating to my insults even though there were so many things wrong with me... I see now that it's me who deserves to be treated like dirt, not you. You deserve so much better," she finishes, out of breath from speaking so fast, not daring to look up at Rachel's face, scared to see her reaction.

"Quinn? Look at me," she says gently. The blonde raises her head, and Rachel reaches over to push a strand of hair back behind her ear. "You really mean that?"

"All of it," The blonde smiles as the tiny diva throws her arms around her dramatically. "Actually, Rachel – there's more – I just don't know how to say it."

"Don't say it then," the brunette says, met with a look of confusion. "Sing it."

Quinn smiles. "I have the perfect song." She stands, grabbing an acoustic guitar from next to an armchair, and begins to strum some simple chords.

_Weep for yourself, my man, you'll never be what is in your heart  
__Weep little Lion Man, you're not as brave as you were at the start  
__Rate yourself and rake yourself, take all the courage you have left  
__Wasted on fixing all the problems that you made in your own head_

_But it was not your fault but mine  
__and it was your heart on the line  
__I really fucked it up this time, didn't I my dear  
__Didn't I my dear_

_Tremble for yourself, my man, you know that you have seen this all before  
__Tremble little Lion Man, you'll never settle any of your scores  
__Your grace is wasted in your face, your boldness stands alone among the wreck  
__Now learn from your mother or else spend your days biting your own neck_

A tear falls from Quinn's eye, not unnoticed by Rachel, who smiles encouragingly.

_But it was not your fault but mine  
__and it was your heart on the line  
__I really fucked it up this time, didn't I my dear  
__Didn't I my dear_

_Didn't I, my dear?_

Quinn sets the guitar down gently and sits back next to Rachel.

"That was beautiful, but I don't really understand," The brunette says.

"Well, I'm the lion man," Quinn says, shaking her mane-like hair to emphasise her point. "And I fucked up."

"I know now that you're being sincere, Quinn," Rachel begins. "There is no way you could have faked emotion in that song. Thank you, for opening up to me." She rests her hand on Quinn's knee, and Quinn looks at it, wondering how she could ever have called them mannish, they look so soft and gentle. Without thinking, Quinn places her hand on top, entwining their fingers. Both girls notice – it feels right. Rachel looks up to meet Quinn's gaze, and they lock eyes, becoming aware of their closeness.

"Am I right in thinking that song was about more than just friendship?" Rachel questions quietly, as if talking loudly will shatter this fragile moment. The blonde glances towards the floor and murmurs a quiet yes.

Rachel uses her free hand to reach over and tilt Quinn's chin up, forcing her to meet her gaze.

"I've always loved you Quinn Fabray. Even when you treated me like shit. I knew there was an amazing, caring person in there who just needed an opportunity to break free."

"I'm not worth it, Rach, you deserve so much better, I'm just-"

"No, it's you. It's always been you. In my immaturity I tried to take Finn away from you, to make you notice me, and I guess that fuelled your hatred – after all you couldn't let the school see me get away with it – but I stuck in there, and, well... I'm glad I did."

"I behaved like a ten year old boy, Rachel, teasing you and taunting you because I couldn't come to terms with my emotions, but now I have. Please say you'll have me?"

"You make yourself sound like a burden," Rachel smiles, closing the gap between them and joining their lips in a gentle, loving kiss as the first snow of the winter begins to fall slowly outside the window.

* * *

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